A Letter from the CEO...
The last few months have been extremely eventful at the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal. As we enter the month of November, we have a lot to be thankful for. We are thankful for all of our members, our families, our staff, our volunteers, our Board of Directors, our Community Advisory Council and all of the partnerships we have throughout our community.
A new partnership we have built is with First Christian Church. At the beginning of the school year, we found ourselves with a waiting list of over 60 youth that needed a safe, fun and supportive place to be after school. We were not comfortable being in a position where we had to turn students and families away. Our partnership with First Christian Church in Bloomington has allowed us to relocate our Teen Club to the FCC. Our teens now have a space they are able to call their own. This partnership has also allowed us to open our waiting list that had grown to more than 80 youth in our community.
We are also very thankful for our partnership with the City of Bloomington. By strengthening this partnership, we have been able to move one step closer to our vision of being able to serve more youth in our community. Thanks to the acknowledgement and support from the City Council, City Administration and City Staff, we have finalized a purchase agreement to purchase land to build a new Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal.
These are just a few of the many things for which we are all thankful. Most importantly, we are thankful for all of the generosity and support we receive from our community. We are fortunate and truly blessed to live in Bloomington-Normal. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this amazing community we call HOME.
I CARE! We Care,
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Teen CLUB at First Christian Church
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The symbiotic relationship between FCC and BGCBN has existed for many years. An annual drive is held to provide necessary supplies to the Club, the Club and its members volunteered at the Block Party, Club youth have helped serve at special events and, most recently, our Junior Leaders program ran an eight week program this past summer.
#ittakesavillage # missionsaccomplished
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We want to thank the amazing people at First Christian Church for opening their doors as well as their hearts and welcoming Teen CLUB into their building. The need for additional space came about when a wait list began for our K – 5 members, prior to the start of the school year. We reached out to our neighbors for a place our junior high and high school members could go after school, and the church responded. On October 7, 2019, Teen CLUB, the official third site for the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal, moved from 1615 Illinois Street to First Christian Church at 401 W Jefferson Street in Bloomington. This blessing allows us to provide a designated space for our pre-teen and teen members from both District 87 and Unit 5 as well as the capacity to serve the almost 80 members from our waitlist.
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Earlier this year, FCC adopted several new ministry priorities including meet the neighbors, property use and mission engagement. Members of the church provided a warm welcome and treats on our first day in the building. BGCBN signed a lease with the opportunity to rent the upper floor of the building for up to three years, And already, many of the congregation have participated or supported the Club in one way or another. We are truly grateful for this collaboration which allows us to provide a safe, positive environment for our young people.
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An Impact Volunteer is someone who creates meaningful connections with our kids by sharing their expertise through planning and implementing a four-week program focusing on our core program areas. Our program areas include Education & STEM, Healthy Lifestyles, Good Character, Citizenship & Service Learning, Teen Service & Career Exploration and Arts & Culture. These four-week sessions are facilitated by incredible people.
The most amazing things happen when you work together. Tanya Scott, a Curator of Education and an art educator from Illinois State University, along with her students, created lessons plans and art projects specifically designed for our members. In the three sessions at The Clubhouse, our youth participated in a community relief print, a Picasso inspired mask for Halloween and an abstract watercolor landscape. In the final session, our members visited the University Galleries where they explored, with their teacher, Eric Berdis’ installation of
Don’t Let Them Clip Your Tiny Insect Wings
. This enormous multi-media piece inspired our youth to create their own masterpieces.
Working together with our community, we can offer so many more opportunities and experiences for our youth. Other community members and partners who experienced our youth through Impact Volunteering last session include:
- The University of Illinois Extension Office offered programs focusing on STEM and leadership for our kids K – 8th grade.
- Reid Butts returned to run another successful soccer program.
- Jump 4 Joy introduced our kids to the art and fitness of jumping rope.
- Heartland Community College’s faculty and students played old school games with our members.
- The folks from Town and Country facilitated a Junior Achievement program - JA Personal Finance.
- Chris Clemens is working to cut another music track with our teens.
- Libby Warden has started our choir and leading our youth in holiday songs.
- Reverend Ray Houston led Overcoming What’s Overcoming You to our teen boys.
- Illinois State Universities School of Psychology, School of Technology and App Development provided impact programming for our members at Bloomington Junior High School.
Please consider sharing your talents with our kids.
Contact Jenny Hall
jhall@bgcbn.org
or call 309-829-3034 x109 to discover your role in providing Great Futures!
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Bill Myers and Family, Devotion to our Club
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On October 4, 2018, Bill Myers passed away. This year, his family continued the celebration of his life by serving at the Club. Bill played a key role in bringing the Boys & Girls Club to our community and loved serving here over the years. His family continued his legacy by donating their time, talents and treasures to the Club this October fourth. The family’s service project included cleaning and organizing the sports equipment in the gym, making 300 Fall Festival treat bags (with personal notes for each child) and painting our new space at First Christian Church. In honor of Bill’s service to the community, a tree was planted last year by Bellas Landscaping. A stone was placed by the tree that reads “May this tree stand as a tribute to the love and support you gave us all.” Thank you to this amazing family who were inspired by Bill to continue supporting the Club.
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Resource Development Highlights
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Our 2019
Be Great Breakfast
will take place on December 4
th
at the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Over 90 table captains will invite their friends around the table to learn more about our club and the award-winning programs we implement to support our kids.
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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS WILL INCLUDE:
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Jack Lewis Jewelers will be presenting a special gift to our Club ’92 Society members.
Thank you, John Carter!
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Honored guest,
Desmond Clark,
will join us to share his story.
Since retiring from football, Desmond has blazed an impressive path as a financial adviser, inspirational speaker and business coach. In his first year as a full-time adviser with MassMutual Chicago, he finished top 5 in assets accumulated. Since, Desmond has opened the doors to his own firm, Desmond Clark Investment Group.
Desmond has spoken and consulted for companies, associations, and schools across the nation including Fortune 500 health care company Baxter, Chicago United, IL Diversity Council, BOMA-Building Owners and Managers Association, Avon Farms Boarding school, First Institute Medical School, American Cancer Society, to name a few.
He is the author of
Before and Beyond the Game
and was named 2012 Mentor of the Year by Congressman Danny Davis for his work in the Chicago and Polk County Florida communities.
After 3 years as President of NFL Alumni Chicago, Desmond stepped away from the position to start The Desmond Clark Foundation which helps indigent cancer patients receive the treatment they desperately need.
Desmond made the intentional decision, after retiring from the NFL, to work with individuals, families, and audiences big and small to give back all the expertise given to him to help people achieve their greatest potential for success.
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Mr. Clark is a former NFL Tight End, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Author, and Speaker.
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The Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal was established in 1992, hence the name Club ‘92. This prestigious club is for donors who want to contribute monthly recurring gifts online or through our Resource Development office to benefit kids' lives at the club.
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Our Current club 92 Members
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Al & Barbara Nathan
Andrew L Finks
Austin James Myers
Betsy Myers
Bill & Jan Lawrence
Brian & Sarah Day
Chris Deering
Christopher Clemens
Dale & Laura Avery
Darren and Angela Brant
Dean Carr
Dodie Dunson
Douglas and Teresa Minter
Edmund Miller
Evelyn Rose Young
Father David & Amy Halt
Griffin Design - Tracy Feger
Jacob Perganson
Jay and Pamela Reece
Jennifer Cave
Jennifer Hall
Jim and Lisa Spachman
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John & Rebecca Jolliff
Karen Schmidt
Kathleen Boudeman-Nicholas
Mark Nicholas
Kelvin Schill
Kenneth Tolson
Kimberly Wright
Kyle & Mandy Myers
Levi Bauer
Lintfighters of Central IL LLC - Tom & Jamie Sennett
Mark and Holly Houska
Mercedes and William Davison
Mike Flaherty
Numan & Atifa Ahmed
Paul S. Hursey, Jr.
Rex and Valerie Schaeffer
Sayed Abbed
Sports Group Illinois LLC - Dr. Omar Khokhar
Terri Cannon
Terry and Dele Ogunleye
Tony & Steph Morstatter
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TAKE ACTION. BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!
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It’s easy and worth it! Membership is granted to any donor who pledges to any
MONTHLY
gift amount.
Contact
Kimberly Wright
, Development Director, to set up your recurring gift or visit our website at the link below!
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2019 END OF THE YEAR APPEAL
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Would you consider giving a gift to the Club this Holiday season?
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You have the opportunity to bring joy to a child this holiday season.
- $10 provides arts and craft project for 15 of our members
- $35 provides five jump ropes to be utilized with the Jump 4 Joy program
- $50 provides a STEM kit activity for impact programming to service 15 of our junior high members
If you want to target your gift for something specific, just let us know!
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What a fantastic inaugural event we hosted in partnership with the Child Protection Network! We sent 59 people Over The Edge of the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Uptown Normal on October 12, 2019. It was a cold, blistery Fall day, but that didn’t stop everyone from having the best time to raise money in support of our programs!
A big thank you to all of our amazing sponsors, champion VIPs, phenomenal media partners, brave edgers and generous in-kind donors, contributors and supporters including Core Construction, First Site Apartments, Rivian, Iron Coyote Challenge Park, Upper Limits, CrossFit Bloomington-Normal, Goedecke and Laborers Local 362.
And a BIG thank you to the Child Protection Network for partnering with us for this event!
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Thank you to everyone who participated! #OverTheEdge!
We look forward to Over The Edge 2020!
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Would you please invite us to come and present?
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We would love to share our mission with your company, group, or organization.
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